Don’t worry, I find it just as odd as you find it. The fact that Ian Fleming, who created our favorite British spy James Bond, could create a funny kids film based around a turn of the century car is nothing short of weird. Surprisingly what Fleming has done is nothing short of good. He originally put together a wonderful, whimsical story that has continued to make kids happy generation after generation. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the vision of director Ken Hughes, the financial backing from Albert Broccoli (yes, he did the Bond films as well) and the talented cast that was led by Dick Van Dyke.
If you’re not familiar with the story it’s pretty simple. When do two young children fall in love with a broken down old racing car they ask their father to purchase it. On the way home to ask their father, they run into a very nice lady (almost literally — well, she almost hits them with her car) named Truly Scrumptious. Scrumptious takes the kids home and finds out their father is an inventor, and a sensitive one at that. After brief fight, Scrumptious goes her way and their father, Caractacus Potts, ends up finally purchasing it and rebuilding it. The build goes well and Potts is off with the kids for a joyride only to run into Truly Scrumptious again. A little bit friendlier than the first time around, the group goes on a beach trip in the new car (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and end up telling a tale of a ruthless Baron named Bomburst, who must have Chitty Chitty for himself. The imagined story erupts into a tale of kidnapping, toy making and song singing.
This film is classic! I guess as a kid I never noticed Ian Fleming’s involvement with the production. The fact that Fleming could create such an imaginative, lighthearted tale for kids just blows my mind. If you’ve never experienced Chitty Chitty Bang Bang go into it knowing that you’re going to get something that is completely made for the imagination of children. As an adult I don’t quite appreciate the silly production style of the film (such as the car changing forms — into a boat, plane, etc.). My kids were mesmerized by the film and my wife and I were slightly amused. Again, it’s geared towards a younger audience, but still worth the trip.
As for the story, it’s an incredibly character driven story that is accompanied by excellent music from writers Richard and Robert Sherman. Dick Van Dyke is the lead in the movie and makes it fun. His involvement in Disney’s Mary Poppins certainly helped him to prepare for his role as Caractacus Potts and it shows. His awkward comfort level in dancing and singing was prepped four years prior in the Disney film and he pulls it off real well. On top of this, his natural charm and fun attitude make him very kid friendly and is a big draw for kids watching the film; in other words he’s perfect for Potts and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Overall, the story is quite simple, the music is charming (not quite to the Mary Poppins level) and Dick Van Dyke is once again as great as usual. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a great adventure for kids and a good adventure for adults.
As for the Blu-ray portion of this review, the visuals in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang are really good. There are some moments in the film, some of the darker British landscape moments, where the colors seem to go bland. The other issue with the HD is when we’re introduced to some of the blue screened effects. One of the worst things about HD is how well it enhances the blue/green screen lines in films. I do understand that they didn’t quite have the technology we do nowadays to fade/blend those lines around the scenes, but it still doesn’t prevent it from looking so-so on Blu-ray. For a film in 1968 to look as smooth as it did with those lines is nothing short of impressive, though. It certainly looks a lot cleaner than films prior, but it still does hurt it a bit when it’s upscaled to high definition. As fort he rest of the film, for the most part the film does look gorgeous in 1080p as the colorful palette of clothing and sets is enhanced perfectly in an upscaled HD format.
Another plus on the Blu-ray is the enhanced audio, which comes mastered in DTS-HD 7.1. If you have the receiver to handle it and you appreciate audio mastering on Blu-ray then you’re going to be in heaven with the musical. Not to mention, the sound effects in the film (wait until you see the boat chase). Overall, I’m really impressed with the audio.
Finally, the special features are something to talk about. Here’s what you get:
BLU-RAY DISC:
• All-new “Toot Sweet Symphony” melody maker – the Toot Sweet Toots Musical Maestro
• All-new “Chitty’s Bang Bang Driving Game”
• Remembering Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Dick Van Dyke
• “A Fantasmagorical Motorcar” featurette
• Sherman Brothers’ Rare Demos of the film’s most popular songs
• Vintage Featurettes including, “The Ditchling Tinkerer,” “Dick Van Dyke Press Interview,” and “The Potts Children’s Featurette”
• Photo Gallery
• Vintage Advertising Gallery including English and French versions of the theatrical trailer and several television spots
• Sing-a-long version of the film
• Music Machine
DVD DISC:
• Sing-a-long version of the film
While people like our Beth Barnes will certainly appreciate the Sing-a-long included, the real treat in this is the Dick Van Dyke interview. This guy is still funny, charming and his memory is as sharp as a steel trap. He explains a good portion of the film and recalls some great information off the set.The interview is very relaxed and a bit unscripted, which is fine, and I actually found it amusing and particularly interesting. Anyway, there’s plenty for everyone (young and old) with these features and you’ll find them just as good as the actual feature film.